


Picasso and the Professor

by Thecsquirrel



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, an excuse to dress them up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 18:12:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12893850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thecsquirrel/pseuds/Thecsquirrel
Summary: Chloe and Nadine get all gussied up to procure an artifact at the MoMA.  Easy as pie, right?





	Picasso and the Professor

**Author's Note:**

> *Writer's block is evil, y'all! But anyway, I forced myself to put some words on a page and here are the results. There's kind of a plot, but really just an excuse to get them both dressed up. 
> 
> **As usual, all mistakes are mine. Feel free to yell at me in the comments!

It had started simply enough. A mark. A buyer. And a fund-raising gala at the MoMA in New York City. On paper, it seemed like a fun little caper to help the treasure-hunting partners ramp up for the next continent hopping adventure. In the two years since that fateful first trip to India, Chloe and Nadine had kept themselves busy with weekend heists and the occasional treasure hunt amongst the ruins. This trip was also an easy excuse to get to the States, supposedly on the hunt for a ceremonial dagger said to have been used to by an Incan high priest in the lost city of Paititi. At least that had been the purpose or the ruse, if you will. The dagger, while lovely, was just for financing for a lead on something far bigger, something far better: The Kruger millions.

When Chloe had floated the idea by Nadine in an off-hand way, the idea was meant to sound like an afterthought. Nadine, sleepy-eyed and sated from both dinner and sex, merely arched a dark eyebrow before smooshing her face back into the pillow. "Are you serious, Frazer?" Her words were slightly garbled by the pillow. She turned her head to the side to gauge Chloe's reaction. Her face was still flush from her earlier exertion and a slight sheen of sweat was visible. Gray eyes were full of their normal mischief and her lips were pursed. She was amused. 

Chloe finally collapsed onto her back, letting the pillow cushion her head. Long fingers dragged through her newly mussed hair and to create some semblance of order. "What if I was serious?" She pulled the sheet up and let it flutter to a rest just above her navel. 

Nadine lay silent and watched as the woman next to her fidgeted first with the sheet and then with the blunt nails on her fingers, pretending to examine them for nothing in particular. A muscled arm reached across the small space between them as Nadine gripped Chloe's hip. With a smooth tug and a surprised squeak, Chloe suddenly found herself snug against the warmth of Nadine's body. Nadine draped a leg across Chloe's shins. 

Chloe chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to Nadine's forehead as the other woman burrowed into her side. "You know I'm not going, anywhere right?"

Nadine nodded and a few frizzy curls that had come free from her ponytail holder tickled Chloe's chin. "I thought you said you liked it when I snuggled."

"Did I?" Chloe hummed. "Thought for sure that I said, I couldn't believe you were a cuddler." 

Her gentle ribbing earned a teasing pinch to the skin of her hip. "I don't know what you're talking about, Frazer." She squeezed tighter just for good measure and both women laughed. "So, tell me about your wild goose chase for the Kruger millions. I'm all ears." She sounded nonplussed and unintentionally exasperated.

Chloe stiffened a bit. "Just say you don't believe me, Nadine. You don't have to be snarky about it."

Nadine's head popped up and, with a furrowed brow, she regarded her partner. Chloe's jaw was clenched and she could practically see the other woman grinding her teeth. Her arms were folded across her bare chest just for added effect. "When did I say I didn't believe you?" She watched as Chloe looked off to the side. "Look at me?" A beat went by and still Chloe kept her eyes averted. Nadine balanced her weight on her right elbow and reached up with her left hand to let her fingers flit across Chloe's collarbones. "Chloe," she tapped her finger against the hollow of her throat. "Talk to me, please." Nadine's voice was soft and her timbre low. 

Chloe wasn't sure why she was being so irritable about this. She knew Nadine well enough to know that the other woman would always hear her out, no matter what. Finally, Chloe let out a tired sigh and turned her head so that she met warm brown eyes, darkened with concern. Momentarily, Chloe allowed herself to get lost in the flecks of amber in Nadine's eyes. She reached up with her right hand and let her fingers glide across the soft skin of Nadine's cheek. Nadine closed her eyes to the touch even as Chloe's thumb traced the mole on her upper lip and its companion on her chin. Chloe took the moment to lift her head and press a soft kiss to Nadine's lips. 

The kiss was full of the kind of slow heat that they knew spelled nothing but trouble for them both, just as it had right from the beginning. They had meant to keep their relationship casual and light, something to do in the downtime in between adventures and jobs, but what had appeared casual in those early few months after India, had begun to feel like something more serious, like something more permanent. Neither woman was ready to say it, but as they pulled back from one another in need of air, neither woman was ready to question or complain. Nadine caressed Chloe's cheek and pressed a quick kiss to her nose, before letting her head fall back to the pillow. "Now, will you talk to me?" 

Chloe grinned. "I'm just being silly, aren't I? Who knows? After all, the whole thing might well be a pipe dream." She shrugged.

Nadine could sense her partner was about to deflect with her customary humor in another breath. "And when has that ever stopped us?" She smirked and Chloe winked in return. "Now tell me about this crazy theory of yours?" Nadine smiled fully at Chloe and had she not already been on her back, her knees would've buckled, and she would've fallen. 

In the years before Nadine, Chloe never looked for or needed anyone's approval or help, but to have Nadine smile at her and to have Nadine support her, often made her feel like she had unearthed a lost treasure. No matter what corner of the earth they found themselves in, Chloe knew in that moment that to have Nadine look at her with such wonder was often the only thing that mattered. With renewed excitement, Chloe turned on her side and faced Nadine. "So, look, I know the Kruger millions seems like a fool’s errand, but I may just have a real lead." Her smile was contagious. 

Nadine didn't try to curtail her own smile as she watched Chloe's eyes dance with excitement. Nadine realized that even if this all turned out to be a wild goose chase, it wouldn't matter so long as she got to watch her partner bubble up with anticipation. "I'm all ears, Frazer."

 

_…Two Weeks Later._

A 6-piece band in the atrium provided the usual jazzy backdrop for the well-dressed and bejeweled minglers. Snippets of conversations bounced of the white walls and flowed between the Picassos and the bright shine of the waxed floors. Chloe snagged another flute of champagne from the floating arm of a passing waiter. She groused once more that she only had bubbly to sip on, with her first choice being a tumbler of good scotch, but in light of the circumstances, she needed to be alert. Besides, the strappy red-bottomed three-inch heels she wore were not conducive to running or climbing, although they did make for a great weapon. The form hugging royal blue spaghetti-strapped gown she wore left her hardly any room to hide her gun and she had to forgo her usual gear. A wry smile crossed her lips as she sipped from her glass and thought about the back-up that she did bring. 

On cue, gray eyes tracked towards the hallway entrance that connected galleries one and two, and there entering the softly lit space was Nadine, resplendent in a sleeveless canary yellow jumpsuit. Sadly, the long flowing pants covered what Chloe knew to be thick muscled thighs and toned calves, however, thankfully, the chiseled symmetry of the muscles in her arms and shoulders were on display for all the world see. She had worn her hair down for the occasion, her mass of curls bouncing a bit as she took the offered champagne flute from the passing waiter. Chloe tried hard not to stare, but her partner was indeed a vision as she made her way across the floor of the gallery and headed for the painting in the back corner. 

Nadine fixed her eyes on the terracotta shading and curves of the women in the painting and Chloe couldn't help but fix her eyes on Nadine. The bright yellow set against Nadine's warm burnished brown skin made Chloe wish she could take a picture and hang it on the wall. She gulped down the rest of the dry champagne as she watched Nadine politely converse with a salt and pepper haired middle-aged man in a tuxedo. She could tell Nadine was only half listening by the way she nodded and tilted her head as if interested in the words he was saying. Her mouth curved up just a bit in the hint of a smile, which was apparently enough to encourage the gentlemen to keep talking. 

Chloe desperately wanted to saunter over and move in behind Nadine to perhaps drop a possessive and promising kiss on her exposed neck. Maybe trail a finger or two down her spine, teasing at the freckles before the material of her suit stopped her path. What Chloe wouldn't give for five minutes alone -okay maybe 10- in the back stairwell. Alas, she had to throw cold water on that plan, since in this scenario they weren't supposed to know who the other was. Chloe grumbled under her breath and tore her eyes away from the woman and headed across the room and away from temptation. 

Long legs carried her across to the other side of the room where she found her mark standing in front of the rather hard to miss, _Les Demoiselles d'Avignon_. Professor Geoffrey Page looked the part of the middle-aged former professor-turned-docent. who had stumbled up something that was going to let him live out his Indiana Jones fantasies. His light brown hair was graying and thinning on top, but he kept it close cropped. His tortoise-shell glasses were the perfect match to his smart bowtie and the tux that was more than likely rented for the event. Chloe stood at an appropriate distance to his left as she too gazed at the large canvas filled with the depiction of the five nude women. For a moment, Chloe admired the painting with genuine interest. For a woman who spent so much time traipsing among the dusty ruins of lost cities and scaling walls, it was always a different kind of wonder to see art she couldn't touch. She smirked. Maybe in another life she and Nadine could plan to liberate a painting or two. Chloe would never deprive the world of this painting, but surely, every Picasso was not on display. Reflexively, she looked back over her shoulder in her partner's general direction and sure enough, amber eyes were focused in her direction. Nadine looked away first, clearly caught, and resumed her polite focus on the man at her side. 

Satisfied that Nadine had not forgotten about her, Chloe turned back to the painting and leaned in a bit closer. 

"It is magnificent, isn't it?" The professor’s lilting accent was soft and twangy. Chloe couldn't quite place it, but she did remember that he was from South Carolina, so that probably explained the inflection. His tone was reverent and his eyes wide.

Chloe stood up straight and smiled at him. "It really is. I've never seen it up close." 

His pale blue eyes grew wide with glee. "Well, it is indeed a wonder. Some consider this his greatest masterpiece, you know. Completely altered what people understood about traditional art." He took the brunette's nodding as a sign to continue. "His choice to distort the female body with the geometric shapes was completely unheard of, and you can clearly see the African and Iberian influences," he continued as he pointed towards the woman in the mask in the right corner. 

Chloe played coy. "I feel like I need to ask you for a tour." She bumped his shoulder, gently coaxing a slight blush from the man.

"Oh gosh no, I'm just a man who reads too many books." He smiled at Chloe and then went back to looking at the painting. 

"Well, I for one am happy that you're a reader. I'm sure you could tell me a good tale about each one of these paintings." She watched as the professor seemed to puff out his chest a bit in a show of pride.

His cheeks grew ruddy at the compliment. "You keep that up and I may just take you on a tour." 

Chloe let out a throaty chuckle. "While I do love a good Picasso, I'm more a fan of ancient civilizations. You know, Aztecs, Mesopotamians, maybe the Incas."

Professor Page paused mid sip and his eyes went wide. Chloe remained silent and just observed. She could see the wheels turn in his head as he determined how to play this. He tugged a bit at his bow tie and Chloe tired not to giggle. He really was adorable in all his nervousness. She was suddenly glad that she got to be the contact, lest Nadine would've growled him into a corner by now. Nadine didn't do subtle, which was something that Chloe had grown to truly appreciate about her partner. The professor adjusted his glasses and swallowed hard. "M-Ms. Frazer, I presume." 

Chloe just curved her mouth into a lopsided smirk before looping her arm through his. "You presume correctly, Professor Page." With a quick snap of his wrist, he downed his champagne in one nervous gulp, and she had to refrain from reaching out and pinching his cheek. "Now, what do you say about that tour?" She winked for good measure and the professor probably blushed all the way to his toes. 

Professor Page and his lovely companion wound their way through the galleries on the 5th floor and the 4th floor. Stopping only to peer at a Frida Khalo self-portrait and Chloe's confusion and admiration at the splatter-wonder of a Jackson Pollack. The Professor was both a good sport and a fount of knowledge. Chloe made a mental note of all the interesting things the professor was telling her with the full intention of bringing Nadine back here for their own private tour. If Nadine could regale her with animal trivia then she could do the same with art. Chloe decided it was a worth challenge as she listened to him gush over a Degas sculpture.  
\-----

Still upstairs in the gallery, Nadine kept a polite grin on her face as her companion prattled on about something she had lost the thread of at least five minutes ago. While the lack of an ear piece annoyed her to no end, she discreetly checked the slim watch she wore for the occasion. It had been five minutes since she caught a glimpse of Chloe and the professor headed out of the main gallery and into another. The plan would eventually take them to the first floors and out into the early Summer air of the sculpture garden. Chloe had at first suggested the tight corners and seclusion of the Tower exhibits, but if the goal was to make this exchange cleanly and with minimal disruption then the Tower was going to prove to be a problem. As it was, sharp brown eyes caught sight of a poorly placed ear piece worn by a bespectacled man in a too tight tux and she watched as three guests went in opposite directions towards the gallery exits. 

Nadine groaned inwardly. Amateurs, she thought to herself. 

With a tight smile and a fleeting touch the man's shoulder, Nadine excused herself in search of the ladies’ room. She exited the gallery on quick steps thanks to the gladiator-styled style sandals she wore (the straps that crisscrossed her calves made for a good way to conceal her knife) and headed towards the stairwell. She glanced at the emergency exit door and noticed the elevators were moving in opposite directions. She rolled her eyes. Amateurs indeed. 

Nadine pulled out the karambit knife she had concealed and she quickly cut the alarm wire on the emergency door. She then shoved the knife into the material that wrapped around the bodice of her jumpsuit for easy access and pushed through the unalarmed door. She took the stairs two at a time and made it to the first-floor lobby in a matter of moments. The elevator was dinging its arrival just as she entered through the emergency door. Years of conditioning kept her heartrate at a moderate rate, and as the doors opened to reveal a well-dressed couple, Nadine appeared to simply be waiting patiently. The slim man to her right still wore the wired earpiece and the smaller woman to her left clutched her bag against her stomach. 

Nadine sized them both up quickly as a sly smile bared white teeth. The man to her right obviously had the height advantage and she could see the slight bulge of his gun holster against his left side, meaning he would have to reach across his body to reach his weapon. The woman to the left matched Nadine in height and frame. She was no doubt in need of the weapon in the bag, but they both knew that the slim clutch could easily become a weapon. The former mercenary made a quick calculation and made eye contact with them both. The man made a small gesture, as if he was being courteous and letting her on the elevator before they got off. She simply stood in front of the open doors as the three attempted to play a game of chicken without drawing attention to themselves. 

The after-hours timing of the Gala left the lobby mostly empty, save for a few guests who were perusing some of the lower floors. With a quick flick of her wrist, Nadine sent her knife sliding across the floor of the elevator to slap against the chrome wall. The sight and sound was just the distraction she needed. If the small smattering of guests had been paying attention, they would've seen a streak of yellow dashing into the elevator just as doors closed. 

A natural southpaw, Nadine sent a bruising punch into the throat of the woman to her left, while she unleashed a perfect side kick to the head of the taller man. The woman rebounded first, as she had used the clutch like a shield to deflect most of Nadine's punch. The force and placement of her kick caused the taller man to slam into the back wall of the elevator, allowing Nadine to focus her attention on the compact woman lunging in her direction. With her forearms protecting her upper body, she blocked the oncoming blow, and then grabbed the woman's wrists in order to hold her steady as she drove her knee into the woman's ribcage. Nadine watched the woman double over before sending an overhand punch to the temple. The woman had yet to even slump to the floor before Nadine was already grabbing the taller man by his slim black tie and driving his head into the mounted aluminum railing around the inside of the elevator car. Nadine snatched up her knife from the floor and then picked up the clutch and gun from her two unconscious would-be attackers. She stepped over the bodies on the floor and pressed the open button followed by the button for the 5th floor and then she exited the elevator and headed for the Sculpture Garden.  
______

Chloe and the Professor took their time meandering through the fairy light illuminated pathways of the Sculpture Garden. Only a few guests milled about, some taking in the slightly cooled evening air to enjoy a cigarette or a cigar. The aromas carried on the air and dissipated into the night. With her arm looped through the Professor’s, Chloe looked the part of a trophy wife, or even escort, to the bookish man at her side. To most eyes, they seemed to chat amiably about the art as the moved past the Rock Chairs and headed towards the large and much more secluded Malliol installation. The massive twisting body of a woman hovered just above the water of a shallow pool. It seemed nearly impossible in its construction, but amongst the soft white light of string lights in the trees and the recessed lighting in the pool, she was an ethereal vision - not falling but rather floating in space. Chloe stared in wonder briefly before smiling at her companion and finally letting go of his arm. 

The Professor watched her with a grin. "It was originally commissioned as a war piece." Chloe just nodded. "It fell through and Malliol turned the woman into the river, hence the twisting.

Chloe nodded again. "You come here all the time don't you." She was sincere and only gently teasing in her tone.

The Professor ducked his head in admission. "There's so much to see, I guess." 

A genuine smile spread across her features. "Indeed, there is. Speaking of," she began.

"Ah, yes. I'd almost forgot the reason for our little stroll."

Chloe chuckled. "Good to know I'm such good company."

He shrugged. "Well, when else do I get to escort a beautiful woman through my favorite museum."

Chloe smirked. "Now, who's the shameful flirt." She winked at him. 

The professor began reaching for the inside pocket of his jacket, when Chloe stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Something wrong, Ms. Frazer?" His voice shook.

She almost didn't notice because of the low light, but working in the shadows for more than two decades had taught her to always be alert. Far to her left, using the columns of the museum as cover, she spotted a figure. Before she could begin to wonder, two more people in dark suits came around the path. The corner of Chloe's mouth twitched as her confident lopsided grin made an appearance. "Why don't you let me get that out of there for you?" She tapped her fingers against the hand that was still trapped inside his jacket. Her voice was soft and only for them to hear. She kept her eyes focused on the slowly advancing figures, which now counted four. She didn't need to be a genius to know they were surrounding her and cutting off the exits. "Did you know about our visitors, professor?" She glanced down to catch blue eyes. They darted about behind his glasses and the perspiration on his brow was obvious. 

"I-I swear you're the only person I've talked to. Y-you're the only person who even bothered to ask what it was." He swallowed as tears gathered in his eyes.

Chloe very nearly felt sorry for a moment. She eased her hand inside his jacket and felt for the dagger. Her fingers contacted a soft leather case which she pulled out slowly. She patted the professor's cheek in a tender gesture. "I believe you, but I think you may have lead someone here all the same." The professor hung his head and started to look to the sides. Chloe gripped him by the shoulders. "I need you to keep calm. Can you do that?" She drew out her words and kept even tone even and still quiet. "I'm going to distract them and you're going to get as far away from here as you can. If you go to the right of the pool and just head for the Tower, you'll find the exit to the street soon enough. Get to your car and get gone. Do you understand?" She watched as the professor seemed to contemplate and finally get his breathing under control. "It'll be fine. Just don't look back." She gave the man a small smile. 

"It is a lovely evening for a walk isn't it." A crisp English accent cracked the tense silence.

Chloe let go of the professor’s shoulders and stepped back. Using what little cover the his body provided, she slid the leather case down in between her cleavage where it would at least be out of her hands. "You know honestly, I'm getting kind of chilly and so wishing I brought my shawl." She smirked as she laid eyes on the man who spoke. His goatee was neat and he still seemed to be clinging to the idea that the man-bun was a good look. He wore a smartly tailored suit that fit his 6'2" frame expertly. Although, even from here she could see the bulge of a gun. He had yet to brandish his weapon, so it was possible she was going to get out of this without needing triage. 

"I don't suppose you'd allow me to trade you my jacket?" He kept muddy brown eyes focused on Chloe.

With a head tilt to survey the surroundings and the two people to her immediate left, Chloe feigned interest in his idea. "Well, one, my mum told be to never take things from strangers, and two, I'm not really sure I have anything you want."

He sighed and rolled his eyes before removing his silenced pistol from his holster. He made no move other than to take the pistol out and let it rest against his thigh. He put his left hand in his pocket, attempting to still seem casual or perhaps civilized. "I really don't want to use this. It'd be a shame to get blood on that dress."

Chloe arched her eyebrow in response. "Now, now, I'm pretty sure we can come to an agreement."

Her response elicited a smile from her interlocutor. "I knew you'd be reasonable."

She chuckled. "Oh, you have no idea how reasonable I can be." She paused on purpose as she looked to her left and right, checking the gathered henchmen. "For a price," she added after a breath. 

The man with the pistol snickered. "That's going to be a problem."

Chloe grimaced. "Let me guess, you didn't bring your check book and I'm sure you're all out of cash."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I'm pretty sure they say it's not safe to carry cash in the city."

Chloe tsked. "Pish posh. This city's remarkably safe. Not like the bad old days. Perhaps, we should go on a tour, you and I?" 

The man's response was overshadowed by loud laughter. Everyone tensed and Chloe took the moment to get her bearings. Just behind her and to her left was another man in a dark suit. To her immediate left was the skulking figure from earlier who had now moved in closer and then to her right and behind the man with a goatee was a woman in a suit.

The laughter carried into the small space once more, followed by a quick stream of words which at first made no sense, but then again, Chloe was still working on her Afrikaans. She kept a straight face as the sounds of a one-sided conversation came closer. Chloe watched as goatee-guy clutched the gun close to his thigh and they all remained very still.

Giddy laughter rang out once more and Nadine appeared to accidentally stumble upon their little tableau. Brown eyes went wide in surprise and she looked slightly embarrassed. She stopped just to right of the goateed man. "Ifem, I have to call you back." She tapped her phone and slide it into the clutch in her left hand. "I am so -so sorry." She took a wobbly step. "Little too much champagne." She smiled at the small gathering of people. "Would any of you happen to have a light?" She opened her clutch once more and appeared to hunt for a cigarette. "I know it's a bad habit, but I can't help it." She pouted just a touch and glanced sympathetically at Chloe. 

"Sorry, love." She shrugged. "He might.” She pointed towards the man with the goatee. “Looks like a smoker."

The man in question narrowed his eyes at Chloe before briefly glancing at the tipsy woman. "Sorry, I can't be of help."

Nadine let out a sigh and snapped her bag shut. "It's probably for the best. My apologies for interrupting." She took a step back preparing to walk away. "Nice gun by the way," she said just above a whisper.

The words registered a moment too late and just as he turned and prepared to raise his gun, the heavy metal of the clutch crushed his windpipe and sent him toppling over. As his arm flailed, Nadine grabbed the gun and barely had to yell out 'get down' before she squeezed off four successive shots from the silenced pistol. The first two shots eliminated the man just at Chloe's back and the next two took care of the man to the left and the advancing woman behind her left shoulder. Nadine saved a final single shot for the man on the ground. 

With quick steps, she was by Chloe's side and offering her hand to help her to her feet. Chloe's gray eyes sparkled with mirth in the twinkle of the string lights. "Fancy meeting you here, china." She allowed Nadine to pull her to her feet and she restrained herself from leaping into Nadine's strong arms like some dashing damsel of a pulpy Romance novel. Instead, she winked and pressed a quick kiss to Nadine's cheek before moving to help the flustered professor to his feet. 

"You feeling okay there, professor?" He was clearly shaken, but he managed a smile. 

"I take it you had situation handled?" Nadine asked sarcastically.

"The professor and I were just about to make our move." She winked at the man and watched as he settled a bit. 

Nadine just shook her head as she gestured for the professor to start walking. "Ja, I could see that." She dismantled the gun and tossed it into the pool along with the clutch. "Might I suggest that the plan now is to get very far away from here."

Flanked by the two women, the professor wound his way out of the Sculpture Garden and to the nearest street exit. He offered the women a ride back in his town car, which they declined with the promise that the professor head straight for the airport and head home to South Carolina. With the buyer not expecting the women for another two days, they knew it was best (and far safer) to part ways. With a nod, the professor readily agreed and their goodbye was quick. 

Once the red of the tail lights disappeared into the sea of traffic headed east, the women fell into step with one another and headed west down 53rd street towards 6th Avenue. 

"So, did you get what we came for?" Nadine kept her eyes forward and scanned the sidewalks for threats.

Chloe let her shoulders brush with Nadine's as they walked. "Mostly." 

They stopped at the crosswalk and waited for the light. Nadine cut her eyes towards her partner with simmering amusement. "Only mostly? What else is there?" She arched an eyebrow in question.

Chloe leaned in close, so that her lips hovered next to Nadine's ear. "You see, I was kind of hoping I'd get the chance to go have a ridiculously expensive cocktail in some ritzy joint with a drop-dead gorgeous woman on my arm." 

Nadine could feel her cheeks warm and she grinned. "I might be able to help with you that." Her smile was broad now as Chloe trailed a hand down her arm and then tangled their fingers together. The light turned green and they flowed with ease into the teeming current of people and into the promise of the Manhattan night.

 

_Fade out…_

**Author's Note:**

> *Yes, I took some liberties with the layout at the MoMA. Don't fight me. Technically, Picasso's _Two Nudes_ is right next to _Les Demoiselles d'Avignon_ but for my purposes they are on opposite ends of the room.
> 
> Two Nudes: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/80111?artist_id=4609&locale=en&sov_referrer=artist
> 
> Les Demoiselles d'Avignon: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79766?artist_id=4609&locale=en&sov_referrer=artist
> 
> The River: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/81798?locale=en


End file.
